Fuel cells and batteries including metal-carbon composite powders
A fuel cell comprising a catalytic layer including substantially spherical metal-carbon catalyst particles having a weight average particle size of at least about 0.1 micron and not greater than about 20 micron, wherein the catalyst particles comprise a metal phase homogeneously dispersed on a carbon support phase.
1. A fuel cell comprising at least a first catalytic layer, said first catalytic layer including substantially spherical metal-carbon catalyst particles, said substantially spherical metal-carbon catalyst particles having a weight average particle size of at least about 0.3 μm and not greater than about 20 μm and wherein each of said substantially spherical metal-carbon catalyst particles comprises a metal phase homogeneously dispersed on a porous carbon support phase, said porous carbon support phase of each of said substantially spherical metal-carbon catalyst particles including a plurality of colloidal carbon particles.
2. A fuel cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein said colloidal carbon particles have an average size of from about 5 to about 100 nanometers.
3. A fuel cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal phase comprises platinum.
4. A fuel cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal phase comprises crystallites having an average size of up to about 50 nanometers.
5. A fuel cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein said metal phase comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, osmium and alloys thereof.
6. A fuel cell as recited in claim 1 , wherein said porous carbon support phase has a surface area of at least about 50 m 2 /g.
7. A fuel cell comprising at least a first catalytic layer, said first catalytic layer including substantially spherical metal-carbon catalyst particles, said substantially spherical metal-carbon catalyst particles having a weight average particle size of at least about 0.3 μm and not greater than about 20 μm and wherein each of said substantially spherical metal-carbon catalyst particles comprises a metal alloy phase homogeneously dispersed on a porous carbon support phase, said metal alloy phase comprising platinum and said carbon support phase comprising a plurality of colloidal carbon support particles.
8. A fuel cell as recited in claim 7 , wherein said metal alloy phase further comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, osmium, chromium, nickel, manganese and cobalt.
9. A fuel cell as recited in claim 7 , wherein said catalyst particles have a weight average particle size of not greater than about 10 μm.
10. A fuel cell as recited in claim 7 , wherein said catalyst particles have a carbon surface area of at least about 50 m 2 /g.
11. A fuel cell as recited in claim 7 , wherein said metal phase comprises platinum and ruthenium.
12. A fuel cell as recited in claim 7 , wherein said carbon support phase comprises carbon particles having an average size of from about 5 to about 100 nanometers.
13. A fuel cell as recited in claim 12 , wherein said metal phase further comprises ruthenium.